All I need
by AlwaysCastle
Summary: Valentines Day contest submission: Her palms were sweating, lip pulled between her teeth as she fought the urge to back down. Give up, turn around. But her heart was beating furiously in her chest. Reminding her of her true desires. And the heart never lies. Who was she to deny it any longer?


**All I need**

She could feel the pressure. Weighing on her heart, worrying her mind and pressing on her nerves.

Her palms were sweating, lip pulled between her teeth as she fought the urge to back down. Give up, turn around. But her heart was beating furiously in her chest. Reminding her of her true desires.

And the heart never lies.

Who was she to deny it any longer?

She had never been like this, but then again, it never had been important to her.

Now, as she pushed the hair out of her face, the meaning had awakened a part of her she had always ignored.

And she couldn't let him down...Make it look like she didn't care, wasn't invested. Because she _was._

The idea of it just made her freeze up.

Because this would set the tone of their relationship.

"I hate Valentines day." Kate huffed as she plopped herself heavily on an empty slab, the doors still swinging behind her.

"You and me both, girl." Came the ME's reply as she shut her fridge door, turning and handing Kate half of her peanut butter sandwich.

Kate took it, ankles crossing over each other, swinging them back and forth as her fingers pressed at the bread. kneading at it until bits crumbled off.

She wasn't hungry.

Couldn't eat, hadn't slept. Wished it was all because of a case, afraid to admit... no... too _stubborn _to admit that she had been thinking about this day for the past two weeks.

"Feeling the pressure?" Lanie asked, taking her last bite and watching the detective with steely eyes.

Maybe she was scrutinizing. That's what it felt like...even if it wasn't so.

"You have no idea."

Kate deflated on a heavy sigh, her chin almost touching her chest.

"Out of ideas?" Lanie inquired again, watching the love sick, frustrated detective bite down on her lip.

"What ideas?" Kate lifted her head, tilting it to one side as she shrugged. "I don't do this, Lanie." She then said after a pause. A pause so silent she could hear her own heart beating, echoing in the otherwise empty morgue.

Lanie wheeled her chair closer, placing a hand over Kate's to stop her massacre of the sandwich, which she now realized, had been made into a heart. The sides pushed in, curved and pointed, the remnants a mess on her lap.

The M.E grinned, carefully removing the crafty sandwich from her friends hands and placing it down beside her. "Want me to let you in on a little secret?"

Kate's eyes had followed, tracing around the curves and ending at the point. "Yes." She replied immediately, clapping her hand over Lanie's and drawing it into her lap like a plea.

"Are you sure you're ready to know?"

"Just tell me!"

Lanie laughed and relented, "It doesn't matter." She said, squeezing Kate's hand.

"Wha-"

"It doesn't matter what you get him." She shrugged her shoulders, giving Kate a knowing look. "He's Castle."

Kate rolled her eyes.

"And, he loves you." She squeezed her hand again, "And _that _is what matters."

* * *

Her fingers fumbled with the keys as she walked out of the elevator. That pressure in her chest easing when she made it to the door. She felt like she could breath again, feel the love bubble up into a smile, instead of worrying her mind.

It was as if the weight had been lifted.

For the most part.

But her hands gave her away, the tingle and quiver of her skin as she wrapped her finger around the key and finally pushed it into the lock. Hearing the metallic slide of the key jump started her fear, if not only for a moment.

A fleeting moment until she pushed the door open, and stood mid gasp.

She felt as though her heart would burst. The air caught in her throat, and her hand came up to feel that she was in fact still breathing.

It seemed as if millions of fireflies had taken up residence in the loft. Fluttering and dancing along the walls, the counter, the tables, everywhere she looked, was filled with light.

All in the form of tiny red and white candles.

It was like standing in the center of her own heart. That flickered and pulsed, coinciding with each fluttering beat.

And when she finally was able to catch her breath, falling back to close the door, hand still at her chest, her eyes found him.

He was standing in the middle of the loft. His hands clutched in front of him, and a weary look upon his handsome face. "I didn't know what to get you." He said, shrugging his shoulders in defeat and showing her his empty hands.

Kate shook her head, toeing off her heels and walking towards him, the balls of her feet sending her to him until she nearly collide with his chest. His hands stayed at his sides, as if ashamed to touch her.

She shook her head again, coasting her hands up his arms as she stepped closer. And as she did so, she heard that hitch in his breath he always had for her, a skip in beat. A heart murmur she had every time he kissed her, touched her, or just looked at her as he did now.

"I don't need anything." She whispered, palm at his heart as the other cupped his cheek. Her thumb rubbed along his face, sweeping under his eye before resting over his top lip.

Kate closed her eyes, feeling his breath blow across her skin, hot, and wanton.

His mouth parted, eyes boring into hers, crystal blue with love. A cool flame that would never hurt. Never mar that for which she knew he desired more than anything.

Kate flicked her thumb over his lips, rising up as she hooked her finger under his chin, bringing him down to her. He moved in closer, nose bumping into hers and causing a smile to ghost across her lips before she touched them to his, sealing her promise. "All I need is you."


End file.
